SCIENCE

President Benigno Aquino III's inauguration, celebration event and first State of the Nation Address (SONA) were successfully secured by a rapidly deployed, real-time Firetide wireless infrastructure mesh network. The temporary video surveillance network was installed to assist the 5,000 police officers who were deployed in the Metro Manila area during the inauguration and SONA festivities. The system was installed by Firetide's leading partner in the Philippines DTSI (Diversified Technology Systems) and used network cameras from Axis Communications and open-platform video management from Milestone, both Firetide's technology solution partners.

"The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) is committed to using state-of-the art technology to improve the effectiveness of the police in the Metro Manila area and for special events," said Director Roberto Rosales of NCRPO. "We chose Firetide for the temporary surveillance network because we are currently using their mesh network for the video surveillance backbone infrastructure of the NCRPO Command Center. We knew that their wireless mesh technology would deliver the real-time, high-performance video needed to help keep the President safe."

After several weeks of planning, the wireless video surveillance system was installed by DTSI at the Luneta Grandstand in Manila a day before the June 30 inauguration, to monitor the crowd and help provide security for the event. DTSI deployed Firetide outdoor infrastructure mesh nodes and the Axis network cameras on area light poles and the stage itself. A mobile command and control vehicle was equipped with Milestone's video management system and a Samsung monitor to receive real-time video feeds of the area under surveillance so that the NCRPO could view the activities remotely.

After the event, the system was taken down and transported to Quezon City 20 kilometers away to provide security for the night celebration. The entire system was put up two hours before the start of the party. Over 10,000 people attended the event, with various locations -- stage, backstage, overhead stage, entrances, exits --- monitored by the video surveillance system.

Using the same system, DTSI then provided security for the first SONA of the President on July 26. Firetide mesh nodes and Axis cameras were placed strategically to help police monitor a crowd of more than 6,000 people. "In each instance, we were able to set up and deploy the network and deliver real-time, high-performance video feeds of key areas to the command center within a matter of hours," said Joel Somontina, head of the Information Transport System of DTSI. "To be able to do this so quickly and easily was amazing."

In addition to the temporary network, Firetide's MIMO infrastructure mesh is currently being used by the Philippine National Police as a cost-effective alternative to fiber for backhauling video feeds from disparate security installations throughout the metro area. The network aggregates more than 400 security camera feeds and delivers them in real-time to the NCRPO Command Center. The NCRPO has plans to expand the Metro Manila network and to continue using portable mesh installations in future events.

"Today, Firetide wireless infrastructure mesh technology plays an increasingly important role in helping public safety agencies keep citizens safe," said Bo Larsson, chief executive officer of Firetide. "Nowhere is this safety more critical than at major events such as the Philippines presidential inauguration and state of the nation address, involving crowds in the tens of thousands. With its choice of Firetide for this unique and special deployment, NCRPO has validated that our technology meets their most critical requirements and sets the standard for reliable, secure and rapidly-deployable wireless video surveillance."